Ore-car



(NoModeL) J 2 sheets-sheen.

G. E. TRUAX- ORECARL; No. 601,203. Patented Mar.'Z2,1898" m M W U/ f i T5 V t w on ad m 2 Mo M F a ,w

(Nd Modl.) 2 Sheets Sheet 2,

' G. E. TR UAX.

ORE GAR.

--N0. 601,203. Patented Mar. 22-, 1898.

Suva/14 500 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EORGE E. TRUAX, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ORE-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,203, dated March22, 1898.

'Application filed April 17, 1897- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. TRUAX, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Denver, in the county of- Arapahoe and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Oars;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ore-cars; and it consists of thefeatures, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described andclaimed, all of which will'be fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the'drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved car. Fig. 2is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the center of the same.Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line was, Fig. 1. Fig. 4is anunderneath view of the car, the wheels being removed.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in theseviews, let the numeral 5 designate the ends and 6 the upper portions ofthe sides of the car. To the parts 6 of the car sides are hinged'theside parts 7, forming doors which are adapted to open for the purpose ofdischarging the contents of the car, whose bottom 8 is downwardlyinclined, as shown at 8, from a central apex 8, the said bottom beingtriangular in cross-section. The discharge of the cars contents isautomatic when the side doors are unlocked. These side doors may behinged to the stationary side parts in anysuitable manner. As shown inthe drawings, each hinge is composed of two metal straps 9, attached tothe parts 6, and a central strap attached to the doors 7. 'Two of thestraps attached to each door 7 extend downwardly and project a shortdistance below the bottom of the car. They are designated by the numeralY10 and the projecting extremities by the reference character 10 Thehinge-straps are connected by suitable pins 12. Three hinges are shownSerial No. 632,694. (No model.)

on each side of the car. Two springs 13 are coiled around the hinge-pinof each center hinge and so connected with the parts 6 and 7 that theyhave a tendency to maintain the doors 7 in the closed position.

To the lower surface of the car-bottom is removably attached thecog-rack 14, which is engaged by a gear 15, mounted on a shaft 16,

whose extremities are supported by beams 17, secured to the car-bottom.The rack 14 is supported byguide-straps 18, made fast to the bottom ofthe car, said rack being adapted to move longitudinally in eitherdirection as its engaging gear is actuated. To the rack 14 are pivotallyattached the inner extremities of two pairs of links 19. The links 19 ofeach pair are connected with the rack-bar at a common point 20. Theouter extremity of each link is connected at 21 with one arm of abell-crank lever 22, which is fulcrumed on the car, as shown at 23. Onearm of each lever is hook-shaped, as shown at 22. The hooked extremitiesof these levers are adapted to engage the lower projecting extremities10 of the straps 10.

Between the track-rails 24 is located a short rack 25, mounted on asuitable supportingblock 26. This rack 25 is adapted to engage the gear15 and turn the latter as the car is passing over that portion of thetrack where the rackis located. The block 26 is pivoted at one extremityon a shaft 27, supported by beams 28, upon which the track-rails aremounted. This block is further supported by a shaft 29, adapted toengage a slot 30, formed in the bottom of the block near its oppositeextremity, which is locked securely in place by a pin 31, inserted inahole intersecting the slot. This pin passes below the shaft 29 andengages it in such a manner that the block is securely held in placeuntil the pin is removed.

When it is not necessary to employ the rack 25, the locking-pin 31 isremoved and the block 26 turned over to occupy the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 2. When the block is in this position, the car may.pass freely over the track'without bringing the gear in contact with therack 25. The function of the rack 25 is to actuate the gear 15sufiiciently to unlock and lock the side doors of the car through theinstrumentality of the movable rack 14, the links 19, and the levers 22.

The operation of my improved car will be readily understood and will nowbe described, assuming that the car is full of ore or other material andthat it is desired to discharge or dump its contents at the point wherethe rack 25 is located. In this case, the operating parts being in theposition shown in Fig. 3, the car will be moved in the directionindicated by the arrows in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, and as soon as the gear 15engages the rack 25 the gear will be turned in the direction indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 2. This movement of the gear throws the movablerack 14 forward or in the direction the car is traveling sufficiently tothrow the levers 22 to the position shown iii-dotted lines in Fig. 4through the instrumentality of the links 19, connecting the movable rackwith the levers. hen these levers are in the dotted-line position, theyare disengaged from the projections 10 of the side doors. llence thesedoors are unlocked and will instantly open automatically under thepressure of the cars contents, which will be discharged at the desiredloca tion. As soon as the car is unloaded the side doors will bereturned to their original position through the agency of gravity andthe springs 13. Then as the car is moved backward or in the oppositedirection the gear again engages the rack 25, which causes the gear tomove in the opposite direction. Hence the movement of the rack ll, thelinks 19, and the levers 22 will be reversed and the doors 7 againlocked and the ear ready for another load.

\Vhile I have termed the invention in this specification an improvementin ore-cars, it must be understood that my improvements maybe employedto equal advantage 011 cars or vehicles of any description where a quickunloading attachment of the class set forth is desirable or necessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a car, thecombination of the car-body and one or more hinged doors, of a rackmovably attached to the car-bottom,a gear mounted 011 a suitable supportattached to the car bottom and engaging the movable rack, leversfulcrumed 011 the car-bottom and adapted to lock the doors in the closedposition, a link connecting the movable rack with each locking-lever,and a rack independent of the car and suitably supported beneath thesame, whereby it is adapted to engage and actuate the gear.

2. In a car, the combination with the carbody having one or more hingeddoors, of a movable device for locking the door or doors in the closedposition, a rack movably attached to the car and connected with thelooking device, and suitable means independent of the car for actuatingthe rack to operate said locking device for the purpose of fastening orunfastening the doors.

3. In a car, the combination with the carbody having one or more hingeddoors, of alocking-lever adapted to engage a projection on each door,arack movahlyattached to the car, a suitable connection between the rackand each lever, whereby the movement of the rack actuates the lever, agear mounted on the car and engaging the rack, and means independent ofthe car for actuating the gear.

4. In a car, the combination with the carbody and a hinged door, abell-crank lever fulcrumed on the car and engaging a projection on thedoor, a cogged rack movably mounted on the car, a link connecting saidrack with one arm of the locking-lever, a gear mounted on the car andengaging said movable rack, and a rack independent of the car andadapted to actuate the gear.

5. In a car, the combination with the carbody and a hinged door, abell-crank lever fulcru med on the car and engaging the door, a coggedrack movably mounted on the car, a link connecting said rack with onearm of the locking-lever, a gear mounted on the car and engaging saidrack, a block mounted on the track beneath the car, and a rack mountedon said block and adapted to engage the gear.

6. In a car, the combination with a carbody and a hinged door, of alever fulcrumcd on the car and adapted to engage the door, a cogged rackmovably mounted on the car, a link connecting said rack with one arm ofthe lever, a gear mounted on the car and engaging said rack, areversible block mounted on the track beneath the car-and carrying arack engaging the gear.

7. In a car, the combination with the carbody and a hinged door, of alever fulcrumed 011 the car and adapted to lock the door, a eogged rackmovably mounted on the car, a link connecting the said rack with one armof the locking-lever, a gear mounted on the car and engaging said rack,a block independent of the car, and a rack mounted on the top of theblock and engaging the gear, the said block being pivoted at oneextremity whereby it may be turned over or reversed to allow the car topass without operating the gear.

8. In a car, the combination with the carbody, of a door hinged to eachside of the car and having a projection extending below the bottom ofthe car, a horizontal bell-crank lever fulcrumed on the car-bottom andengaging each projection on the adjacent door, a cogged rack movablymounted on the carbottom, a pair of links pivoted to said rack at acommon point, their opposite extremities being connected with the leverson opposite sides of the car, a gear mounted on the car and engaging themovable rack, and a rack mounted independently of the car for actuatingthe gear.

9. The combination with a car whose bottom slopes downwardly from acentral apex, the car-body being provided with hinged doors adapted toswing outwardly, of horizontal bell-crank levers fulcrumed on the carand adapted to engage projections on the doors, a rack movably mountedon the car, a

link connecting the rack with each lever, a gear mounted on the car andengaging the rack, and a rack independent of the car for actuating thegear.

10-. In a car, the combination with the carbody having one or morehinged doors, of a movable device for locking the door or doors intheclosed position, a rack movably attached to the car and connectedwith the lock-

